Parents are the most critical "anti-drug" in preventing underage drinking

Survey after survey reports the large majority of middle and high school age teens declare the attitude of their parents about underage drinking is the single most important factor in their decision whether or not to drink. Talk to your children early and often - your voice makes a difference.

Fun of being drunk in your head, not the bottle

Studies report teens consistently overestimate alcohol usage by peers, negatively influencing their belief about "drinking expectations." New study finds that challenging those beliefs about the rewards of drinking can reduce both the quanity and frequency of consumption. Read more.

Cost of underage drinking in North Carolina

In 2010, underage drinking cost North Carolina more than $1.5 billion to offset alcohol-related costs of harm related to teen health care, crime and other costs. Read more.

Cost of underage drinking to the nation

In 2010, underage drinking related harm costs to the nation are conservatively estimated to be in excess of $62 billion annually. Read more.

In university communities like Chapel Hill, excessive underage drinking has become a part of town culture. For the sake of local youths, and with collegiate alcohol-related death and poisonings at record levels, it doesn't have to be this way. But reducing this dangerous drinking requires a mutual collaboration between town and university leaders. Read more.

Children and prescriptive drugs

Recreational use of prescriptive drugs by children has risen dramatically, along with the dangers associated with misuse. Daily 2000 children use recreational prescriptive drugs for the first time, and 2/3 report obtaining drugs from family and friends. With the family home an easy target of access for children, it's critical that adults safely secure or dispose of their prescriptive medications. Read more.

With public health experts expressing concerns that on-going marijuana legalization efforts will ultimately result in dramatically rising use by children similar to alcohol, children are now being bombarded with adult messaging about the acceptability of marijuana use. Read more.

Buyers using an online marketplace called Silk Road are succeeding in purchasing illicit drugs. Though international law enforcement efforts are targeting such sales, they have yet to be successful in preventing them.Read more.

Use of the club drug "Molly" has become even more dangerous, as law enforcement reports that some are lacing it with other synthetic drugs, including bath salts. A recent rash of deaths have been reported among "Molly" users.Read more.

A dreadful drug that health experts hoped would never be found in the U.S., the first cases of krokodil use have now been reported here. Originating in Russia, this flesh-eating drug is similar to morphine or heroin. The addict's skin turns greenish and scaly, eventually rotting away.Read more.

As public health alarms continue to sound over harmful, even lethal outcomes for users of synthetic drugs, national leaders are voicing outrage over use deaths and the predatory marketing practices of sellers. Most such drugs are manufactured outside the U.S., with no quality control or oversight. Many do not contain the ingredients claimed on packaging.Read more.

Few really know what is in them, particularly those using them, some with deadly consequences. Several things are certain, youths know about them, and they are dangerous. Predatory marketers, moved only by profit, are playing a high-risk cat-and-mouse game with law enforcement and the public.Read more.

"Benzo Fury," a so-called 'designer drug' (manufactured to simulate effects of illicit drugs), is only the latest to hit the U.S. recreational user scene. Similar to amphetamines or ecstacy, like them this drug is also potentially lethal.Read more.

The child of today is confronted constantly with addictive substances of every description, but most parents want to think child addiction only happens in other families. Many parents of addicted children once thought the same thing.Read more.

Investigations report that more illicit drugs are being shipped directly through the U.S. Postal Service and other private carriers. The Postal Service recently confirmed it is considering allowing shipment of alcohol, overturning a long-standing ban of such products.Read more.

Though often claimed as a "legal high," in 2011 nearly 23,000 people required emergency hospital care associated with use of amphetamine-like stimulant "bath salts." Deaths are reported. Use of untested synthetic drugs of unknown quality is regarded as very dangerous, though many adults have little knowledge such products even exist.Read more.

Once considered the lethal and addictive 'junkie' drug-of-choice, heroin is making a strong resurgence statement in suburbs and schools. Some researchers claim the epidemic abuse of prescription drugs makes growing abuse of heroin even more likely.Read more.

Though unable to lawfully possess or consume alcohol, 20 percent of high school seniors reports recent binge drinking. 10 percent admit recent 'extreme' binge drinking of 10 or more drinks during their drinking episode. Researchers note the great health risk (short- and long-term) for those drinking "two or three times the typical binge drinking threshhold."Read more.

A new study finds that a few drinks of alcohol may change the drinkers view about drunk driving, even if, when not drinking, they claim to oppose it. Other studies have found that alcohol removes inhibitions of the drinker, often placing the drinker in high-risk or conflicting personal positions.Read more.

With the dramatic teen rise in abuse of both prescription drugs and heroin, tremendous peer pressure exists for many kids to use drugs. Though reasons for the rise in dangerous teen drug abuse are plentiful, parents must be vigilant and active in protecting their children from the consequences of such bad choices.Read more.

Increasingly the health and bahavioral dangers associated with excessive student drinking are prompting colleges and universities across the nation to take action to reduce the harms to both their students and their communities. Many universities and their communities, influenced by the growing body of scientific findings of genuine public health harm, have clearly reached their limit. Many acknowledge they can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to their students, universities and communities.Read more.

Including 3 deaths and 75 hospitalizations, nearly 150 illness cases in Colorado are linked to use of synthetic marijuana. 20 percent are teens. Many experts are convinced of the inherent danger associated with use of such unverifiable products, some manufactered by unscrupulous dealers outside the U.S.. Testing often confirms that the product contents doesn't match content labeling.Read more.

A controlled study of boys followed from ages 7 until 17 concluded that children taught self-control can lessen teen substance abuse. The boys had already exhibited disruptive behaviors prior to entry into the study. Helping them control impulsivity reportedly empowered the youths to make better decisions about alcohol and other drugs.Read more.

While parents have long been known to exert considerable influence on the decision of their child to use alcohol, new research concludes that siblings likewise influence the risk of future drug use.Read more.

As the prescriptive painkiller abuse epidemic continues, the latest effort to reverse the tide is the new FDA requirement that opioid painkiller prescription bottles contain stronger safety warnings. Opioids have played a 'disproportionate role' in drug abuse and deaths.Read more.

Though tobacco and its use is legal, the number of campuses prohibiting on-campus use of tobacco products as a public health intervention has doubled. With alcohol the leading student public health problem, will similar prohibition follow? Not likely.Read more.

Defying perceptions about heroin users, the growing heroin use explosion is found largely in suburbia. Some current heroin users started on their destructive drug path with use of prescription drugs.Read more.

Demonstrating the profound health dangers associated with use of synthetic drugs, a Texas high school teen suffered destruction of a large portion of her brain following use of synthetic marijuana. Though she survived the event, the wheelchair-bound teen has a long way to go in her recovery effort. Users have no way of knowing what they are ingesting into their body with any synthetic drug, particularly when crafted by the unscrupulous hands of predators more concerned with making money than safe-guarding public health.Read more.

As the serious public health crisis related to the abuse or misuse of prescription drugs worsens, its reported that deaths related to such abuse have tripled in the last 25 years, mostly related to painkillers. Doctors becoming more engaged in reducing problem many helped create.Read more.

As synthetic marijuana has risen in popularity with teens, so have the very serious health conditions associated with that use. 3 deaths and 75 hospitalizations occurred in Colorado recently. The Colorado Department of Health advises, "If you have synthetic marijuana, stop using it and destroy it."Read more.

The CDC reports that in 2010, 11,078 died in the U.S. as the result of firearm homicide. The nation was outraged, and many argued for severe firearm restriction. During the same year, nearly 80,000 died in the U.S. as the result of alcohol or other drug overdose. Where is the outrage?Read more.

As difficult as it is to imagine, yes, even teens are using heroin. In fact, use among them is rising, and the CDC reports that 3 percent of teens have used this drug which is an lethal as a firearm. Some experts are concerned that the soaring abuse of prescription drugs by teens leads will lead to even greater heroin use by them.Read more.

A challenging conversation for many parents, yet research finds they are the most influential people in shaping a young persons decision whether or not to drink alcohol. Experts are virtually unanimous in agreeing that conversation should be held "early and often." Here are some helpful suggestions.Read more.

Drawing the attention of angry health experts and State Attorney Generals, some clothing manufacturers, accommodated by willing clothing retailers, are creating t-shirt designs which highlight prescription drugs. Similar to alcohol product shirt designs, they are aimed at young people, and the current prescriptive drug abuse epidemic makes such sales particularly predatory.Read more.

Described as "like a night of binge drinking in an instant," smoking alcohol is only the latest health-risking alcohol ingestion trends seen among teens seeking quick high. But its health harm consequences can be profound - it is very dangerous.Read more.

Despite its harmless sounding name, it's harmful effect is potentially lethal. Like many drugs, most of its users have no idea what they are ingesting into their body. Once thought to be the drug of the immature rave kid generation, even more mature adults are experimenting with "Molly."Read more.

With a growing list of potentially serious negative health effects from caffeine-laden energy drinks, particularly among younger children, parents must be more aware of the health and safety threats these drinks pose. Children most at risk are those who regularly consume such drinks. Read more.

Not surprisingly, with the emergence of e-cigarettes, a supposed 'safe' alternative, use among middle and high school age children has doubled. Most children using e-cigarettes also smoke conventional cigarettes.Read more.

Not including alcohol, the teen drug of choice, prescription drugs, heroin and marijuana use rising among teens. But not all the rising abuse of drugs is related to the young, those least informed to know the dangers associated with use.Read more.

While most parents have little difficulty talking with their children about tobacco products or illicit drugs, research shows many struggle with conversations about alcohol and prescription drugs. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends parents talk with their children about them as soon as they reach an age where they can grasp ideas. In other words, talk to your children early and often.Read more.

As more and more college communities, many fed up with collegian alcohol-fueled misbehaviors, grapple with the confirmed public health dangers associated with excessive drinking, and often after years of passive observation, many are at last taking aggressive action to reduce dangerous and high-risk drinking among students.Read more.

Though research consistently finds that parents are the most influential people in their teens decision whether or not to drink, most parents have trouble talking with their kids about alcohol. In fact, some report that most parents avoid having such conversations.Read more.

Confirming that far too many teens remain at risk (both health and behavioral), a recent survey confirms how deeply substance use pervade the life of many young people and their families. This survey found that more teens are now using marijuana than alcohol each day. As the science findings surrounding the harms resulting from use of alcohol and marijuana by still-developing teens accelerates, many experts are very concerned about the long-term public health implications. Read more.

Parents may know little about the drug threats facing their children or the high-risk manner in which they consume alcohol, but teens know what's out there (or think they do). With the start of the new school year, it's important for parents of adolescents to know the drug threats facing their children.Read more.

With civil cases pending against the manufacturer in multiple states, parents of a 15-year old killed after consuming two cans of Four Loko (each can contained the equivalent of nearly 6 cans of beer) settled their lawsuit against the manufacturer. Phusion Projects, under heavy pressure from the federal FDA, agreed to remove the caffeine from each unresealable single-serving can, but refused to reduce the amount of alcohol content. Heavily marketed at youths, consuming a single container meets the definition of binge drinking.Read more.

Studies have found that the alcohol industry (particularly malt beverage) specifically targets teens with their ads, and that alcohol advertising does influence teens to drink. A new study concludes that industry voluntary self-regulation does not work in protecting young people, and that the malt beverage industry frequently violates its own voluntary guidelines. Anheuser-Busch the worst offender.Read more.

Like alcohol, experts now believe that the still-developing teen brain may be especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of marijuana. Arguing that such factors must be seriously considered in any legalization debate, experts conclude there is an association between marijuana use and subsequent addiction to heavy drugs and psychosis.Read more.

Washington State University is fed up, and trying a variety of new approaches to reduce dangerous student drinking. This includes early Friday morning classes, to lessen student eagerness to drink heavily on 'thirsty Thursday.' To engage parents, they have adopted a protocal to contact them immediately upon the first alcohol violation by their child.Read more.

In the newest "war on drugs,' States are making an aggressive effort to stem the growing harm from the prescription drug abuse epidemic. Though many consider prescription drugs safer than illicit drugs, prescription drugs kill more people.Read more.

Though some percieve marijuana as a 'safe' drug, researchers conclude this perception is 'scientifically inaccurate.' Still-developing teens are particularly at risk of developing addictive behaviors and suffering long-term effects.Read more.

As the U.S. military attempts to come to grips with their alcohol-associated problems, four Army garrisons, including Fort Bragg, are implementing or considering implementation of restriction of liquor sales at post exchanges. Other service taking action. Read more.

In the relentless pursuit of 'getting high,' though alcohol has long been their drug-of-choice, many U.S. teens are increasing use of other drugs. The rise in use of prescriptive medications, synthetic and other illicit drugs is troubling, particularly since mosts teens have no knowledge or understanding of what they are ingesting. Too often, the consequence of such choice has been lethal. Experts fear the recent legalization of marijuana in several states will add fuel to this problem, as teen use nationwide has already begun to rise. Read more.

Very troubling reports continue to emerge regarding the dramatic rise in female abuse of alcohol and other drugs. Some researchers consider it to be a profound cultural shift, and serious short- and long-term public health concerns exist.Read more.

Some parents believe teen drinking to be harmless or that their drinking teen does not drink at all. If parents had accurate information about teen drinking, it may shake up many of their assumptions about this serious youth health risk. Parents can take steps to forestall their child's interest in alcohol.Read more.

Add the American Academy of Pediatrics to the long list of well-respected health and research experts concluding that alcohol industry TV advertising influences teens to drink. Unlike its cousin tobacco industry, alcohol industry advertising is unregulated, with the industry agreeing only to voluntary regulation. Research studies conclude the industry specifically targets teens with their advertising.Read more.

As the health-risking potency and popularity of marijuana rise, so has its use among teens. In fact, marijuana is the most abused illicit drug among teens. With most teens at risk, parental engagement can prevent or reduce this risk. Read more.

Though the U.S. Surgeon General declared that we can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to our children, research finds that many parents have a difficult time talking to their children about alcohol. Take this test to see if you talk to your kids often enough. Read more.

As the rising prescription drug epidemic continues, a recent study concludes that most teens have easy access to such drugs in the family home. Easy access also increases the risk of sharing such drugs with their friends. With no comprehension of the health risks involved, experts troubled by short- and long-term dangers to teens.Read more.

Typically associated with young women, the behavior of avoiding food and its caloric intake to enable greater consumption of alcohol, called health-risking by experts. Want to lose weight - avoid the alcohol, not the food. Read more.

Reporting a growing presence of fake id's for youths seeking alcohol, police in Bloominging report those with fake id's also associated with more excessive consumption. Though typically identified with collegians, many high schoolers in possession.Read more.

With 40% of costs of harm from excessive alcohol use paid by taxpayers, some researchers contend the costs are even higher. Non-drinkers and responsible drinkers bear heavy heavy financial burden for those abusing alcohol.Read more.

As national media has become far more engaged in raising adult awareness of the serious health dangers associated with teen use of alcohol and other drugs, parents must be frontline in the effort from protect their children from these confirmed health harms.Read more.

In an odd battle between health hazards, a recent pro-marijuana ad attacked the toxicity of alcohol as a health endangering product. Like earlier tobacco ads masking its own health risk, it urges use of marijuana instead of alcohol for those looking to get high. Read more.

The Billboard Chart references current popular music. A recent study found that 25 percent of songs currently popular on the Chart referenced drug use, most is a positive way. Heavy social messaging popularizing drugs, with little anti-messaging. Read more.

We can no longer ignore what alcohol and other drugs do to our children, which later carry over to their adult lives. Even so, many adults do exactly that, ignoring the indisputable harm, even defending the use as some mythical 'rite of passage.' It's time to look the elephant in the eye.Read more.

With the rising epidemic of abuse of prescriptive painkillers, particularly among females and teens, study finds such abusers are 19 times more likely to initiate use of heroin than those not abusing painkillers. Recent resurgence of heroin use of serious public health concern. Read more.

The very imaginative (and uninformed) way in which many teens abuse drugs (alcohol, prescription, synthetic, and illicit) in search of the mythical 'high,' often with catastrophic consequences, is all the more reason that adults must be more informed. "Trust but verify!" - it's an adult thing to do.Read more.

Long-known that alcohol use effects the human brain, this effect is particularly true for the still-developing teen brain. A new study conclude that chronic alcohol use leads to brain adaptations shifting control away from the area involved in complex decision making, into a region associated with habit formation. Read more.

Like any deterrent action, and long-known in the law enforcement community, its effectiveness can largely be measured by whether or not there is an accompanying belief of enforcement. After all, the purpose of the policy in the first place is to deter actions or behaviors. This works only if enforcement follows. Otherwise, such policies are just words on paper. Read more.

As concerns grow about the rise in teen use of marijuana, legalization in several states have added to this concern. Some speculate the recent legalization efforts will have a trickle-down effect to teens. Parents, you do make a difference in the choices made by your children, and, like alcohol, this is one you should talk about early and often.Read more.

A recent study found five beer brands most often associated with emergency hospital care for injuries, and 3 or the 5 are Anheuser-Busch products. Growing sentiment that the cost of harm from alcohol products should be passed along to the profit-making industry, rather than the innocent public.Read more.

Protecting teens from the personal health harms associated with underage drinking is a burden all adults must share, but that harm can come at the hands of another drinker, even when your teen isn't drinking.Read more.

As the problems associated with the abuse of drugs worsens, the harms from prescriptive drugs are soaring. Its estimated that 20 million Americans have abused illicit drugs within the last 30 days, and that the cost of harms from drug abuse exceeds $190 billion annually. Much of those costs are passed on to the public.Read more.

With Anheuser-Busch the big winner, a recent study concludes that most ER visits for alcohol-related causes are from excessive consumption of beer. 80,000 people in the U.S. die annually from excessive consumption. Though distilled spirits are gaining in use by teens, beer remains their drug-of-choice.Read more.

Not just a teen problem, as the U.S. military continues to struggle with the many harms associated with alcohol abuse by armed forces personnel, in another effort to stem this troubling tide, the Navy has changed the way alcohol is sold on base.Read more.

Though alcohol has long been the teen drug-of-choice, the rising abuse by teens of prescription drugs, stimulants, heroin and other sources to 'get high,' teens can make better choices to be safe and healthy. But they need parental help.Read more.

Some uninformed adults believe that only illicit street drugs are a threat to teens, though abuse of prescription drugs by teens has reached epidemic proportions. Why worry about a street dealer when a 'get high' drug source is as close as the family medicine cabinet. Read more.

The CDC reports that excessive alcohol consumption, most related to binge drinking, costs the U.S. $223.5 billion annually. Much of those costs are borne by taxpayers, non-drinkers and responsible drinkers alike. CDC recommends a variety of strategies to reduce excessive consumption, including increased alcohol taxes.Read more.

In the ever-continuing escalation of drug potency (the 'war' being waged for users by dealers), some marijuana growers are pushing THC potency to the most extreme limits, without regard to the accompanying risk of dangerous behaviors.Read more.

Some defend consumption of alcohol for its supposed beneficial heart effects. Even those minimal benefits are lost for any consuming more than the recommended 1 drink for a female or 2 drinks for a male. But alcohol use, a carcinogen and 3rd-leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., has other known harmful effects on the heart.Read more.

White, compared to black, adolescents have higher rates of alcohol use, and show more rapid increases in alcohol use. Understanding these differences can help communities to better tailor policies to protect children from the many harms associated with alcohol.Read more.

As with all advertising messages, alcohol advertising does influence people to drink, presenting heavy social norming messaging to invigorate public consumption. Their messages are a significant contributor to drinking by teens and 'tweens.' Worldwide many are calling for regulation, as alcohol-related public health concerns grow. Read more.

As troublesome findings regarding gender-based societal norm changes are found, the rising abuse of alcohol and other drugs by females is of growing concern. Some researchers have described it as one of the nation's most significant cultural changes.Read more.

Washington State University is the latest university to announce new steps in their continuing effort to reduce excessive and dangerous levels of drinking by their students. More universities seem to be getting the message that more action is required by them, and that they can no longer afford to ignore problematic drinking by their students.Read more.

Though the health findings and outcomes are demonstrably to the contrary, many adults don't believe that over-the-counter medicines, because they are legal, pose a health risk to their teens. But here are 10 things every parent should know about the real dangers associated with these potentially harmful, even deadly drugs. Read more.

As burdensome to society as the cost of illicit drugs may be, those costs pale in comparison to the community cost of harms associated with legal drugs, mostly alcohol and tobacco. It takes an engaged community to 'do something' about it. Read more.

Research finds that teens with higher self-esteem are less likely to abuse alcohol or other drugs, when compared to children who grow up with much less a sense of self-worth. Costing parents nothing over than constructive engagement with their children, it is an important element in the effort to prevent abuse by adolescents.Read more.

Dispelling any notion that heroin use is only an urban scourge, Wall Street Journal reports that heroin production has increased dramatically in Mexico. Many prescription drug abusers are switching to heroin, and the upsurge in use has soared in rural areas, often less prepared to detect or deal with the consequences.Read more.

Studies find that nearly 25 percent of high school students have abused highly addictive prescription drugs, but new alarms have been sounded because of the alarming resurgence of heroin use, particularly among teens.Read more.

The recent conviction of a Wisconsin local school board member, along with charges related to a Rhode Island physician and Brown University Medical School professor, for hosting teen drinking parties illustrate one of the factors contributing to the challenges related to this serious youth public health threat. Read more.

Long-recognized, even defended, as a problem on most collegiate campuses, Dartmouth College is making a serious effort to reverse dangerous and high-risk drinking on their campus. It has formed a collaborative with other institutions to share information that may be helpful in reducing risky collegiate alcohol consumption.Read more.

As teens add to the ever-growing number of ways to "get high," the family home is a readily available source for a cheap high from inhalants, joining the list of other impairing substances like alcohol and prescription drugs. The consequences can be disastrous.Lock it up - Talk it up.Read more.

Long-identified as a factor in many teen suicides, a new study finds that alcohol is also a likely factor in the alarming rise in military suicides, not the deployments to war zones as some have attempted to link.Read more.

Parental warnings about the misuse of alcohol do make a difference to their children. A new study reports that collegians receiving such warnings from family or friends are more likely to be concerned about their use of alcohol. Read more.

Largely unregulated, digital and social media have become an advertising bonanza for the alcohol industry, but a battleground for prevention campaigns focused on teens believed to be the lucrative target of industry advertising.Read more.

A recent study reported in Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research concluded that personality traits exhibited by children during the first five years of life may be a predictor of later teen alcohol use.Read more.

A recent Duke University study reports the economic status of a young adult may influence their substance use patterns. For instance, youths coming from impoverished backgrounds may be more likely to smoke, while youths coming from more financially secure background may be more likely to drink excessively.Read more.

As the debate over marijuana use continues, a new study concludes use by adolescents could result in long-term impairment of brain function and cognition, even increasing risk of schizophrenia. Some researchers contend the higher potency found in current marijuana may be a contributing factor to harm.Read more.

As the nation grapples with changing marijuana standards, the NCAA has lowered its threshold for a positive marijuana test among collegiate athletes. UNC's P.J. Hairston among the athletes recently linked by police to the drug.Read more.

Declaring painkiller overdosing a full-blown 'epidemic,' the CDC confirms their deadly toll. U.S. consumes 80 percent of the world's painkillers, with sales increasing by more than 300 percent since 1999.Read more.

While some parents have expressed a sense of hopelessness in influencing teen behavior about alcohol and other drug use, yet another study confirms that most teens are positively impacted by parental influence in their decisions regarding alcohol use.Read more.

For parents, most don't know about the latest (and very dangerous) teen fad of inhaling alcohol, but it's critical they learn about the threats alcohol and other drugs pose for our children. Many involve potentially deadly risks.Read more.

Regarded as extremely dangerous, predatory synthetic drug use among teens is growing. With so many new drugs flooding the market, some say "we can't respond fast enough." Sadly, many adults have no knowledge they exist.Read more.

Experts warn that parents should begin talking with their children as soon as they can grasp ideas and information, and those talks should be early and often. If you have a child that is college bound, particularly if you have delayed those alcohol and other drug conversations, now is the time for those talks.Read more.

With a wealth of information about destructive ways for teens to abuse or misuse alcohol, the internet provides them with minimal knowledge at the touch of a finger. Inhalation of alcohol to achieve rapid intoxication is only the latest example of internet power and risk.Read more.

Like tobacco before it, alcohol is a known carcinogen. With the dramatic rise in abuse of alcohol among females, the link between alcohol and breast cancer is clear. The alcohol-related public health concerns, for addiction and other diseases, are growing.Read more.

Reflecting the continuing decline in teen use of tobacco products, teen smoking is now reported to be at an all-time low. Anti-use messaging from parents and other sources a key factor. The same can apply to alcohol, though many parents are challenged by anti-drinking messaging.Read more.

A new study reports that anti-alcohol school policies tend to be effective if students perceive they are enforced. As earlier study concluded that underage drinking laws tend to be more effective if teens perceive active law enforcement. Enforcement is the key to effectiveness.Read more.

Studies report that synthetic drugs like 'bath salts' are well-known and readily available to teens. A new study reports that 'bath salts' are even more addictive than methamphetamines, previously regarded as the most addictive drug. Use includes host of very negative symptoms and consequences.Read more.

"Looking to help save lives," prescription drug drop-off sites are growing in numbers, as this public health crisis worsens. Drugs turned in will be destroyed, removing their risk of harm from would-be abusers. Read more.

Long-understanding that parental 'modeling' plays a role in the development and future behaviors of a child, a study finds that among the children most at risk for abuse of alcohol or other drugs are those who see their parents drunk or abusing drugs.Read more.

Because of, among other things, youthful immaturity, lack of information or experience and experimentation pressures, many teens simply have no insight, awareness of knowledge of the dangers associated with their use of alcohol and other drugs. It's a parents job to inform them, setting clear expectations. Talk to your children early and often.Read more.

Already confronted with the growing abuse of alcohol by young girls (now exceeding young boys), deaths among women from the abuse of prescription drugs are rising at a faster rate than men. Female deaths from drugs have risen five-fold since 1999.Read more.

New studies report that the average age in which 'consistent' consumption of alcohol begins is age 14. Teen alcohol and other drug habits may be a clearer indicator of their level of alcohol and other drug use as adults.Read more.

Dangerous synthetic drugs with potentially disastrous, even deadly consequences, are gaining in popularity among teens. So-called 'designer' drugs, created to evade existing drug laws, have rapidly gained the attention and concern of public health officials and law enforcement. They have also gained the attention of young teens.Read more.

Public health experts are concerned about the effect of legalization of marijuana on teenagers, fearing use will increase, even among non-users. A recent study finds there is good reason for their concern. Read more.

Not the same marijuana of yesteryear. As marijuana continues to gain in potency, some are now calling more potent varieties the 'crack' of pot. Legalization advocates fear more potent health-risking strains will undermine its contentions of marijuana harmlessness, threatening the overall success of legalization efforts. Is 'dabbing' the future of marijuana use in the U.S.?Read more.

Considered even more dangerous than drinking alcohol is excessive quantities, some high school age teens are engaged in only the latest teen pursuit of rapid intoxication from alcohol. But this fad is significantly more dangerous to teen health.Read more.

With some contending that cultural changes are to blame, studies report that teens are feeling more anxious than ever before. Worse, the problem seems to be getting worse, with 25% of teens (30% of teen girls) suffering from some anxiety disorder during their lifetime. Read more.

Though prescription drugs, when used properly, may have a valuable purpose, the same cannot be said for those abusing such medications for recreational purposes. Such drugs may be addictive, even deadly.Read more.

With teen abuse of prescription drugs reaching epidemic proportions, 25% of teens admit use of such drugs for recreational purposes. Even so, other research reports parents slow on the uptake.Read more.

The growing excessive use of alcohol and other drugs by women is rapidly becoming a critical public health issue. With 12- to 17-year olds girls now drinking more than similar aged boys, their daughters are obviously watching the modeling they provide.Read more.

The latest high risk and dangerous youth drinking fad is to 'smoke' alcohol. Vaporizing the alcohol, then huffing its vapors. Bypassing the bodies natural method for normal processing of alcohol, this high risk method of ingesting alcohol short-circuits the bodily functions designed to protect the abuser from some of the harm from excessive alcohol ingestion. Described by some as "binge drinking in an instant," most medical professionals concur that this practice is extremely dangerous.Read more.

A CDC study reports painkiller deaths among women increased by over 400% since 1999. Many times more are being treated at hospital ER's for overdose. Outpacing men, it is a growing public health epidemic.Read more.

Citing the 'changing nature of society,' the rising drug-related death rate among females is causing great concern among public health experts. The increase in alcohol abuse among young females and its related problems, is yet another example of the dramatic rise in abuse of drugs by females, young and old.Read more.

Popular myths notwithstanding, not all teens drink alcohol. In fact, as knowledge of real public health and behavioral harms associated with alcohol use grow, more teens are doing something to prevent underage drinking among their peers.Read more.

Online purchase of drugs, particularly among teens, is a growing national and public health concern. Alcohol, prescriptive medicines, synthetic and other illicit drugs are readily available to teens and other purchasers. The federal DEA has taken a swipe at online purchase of illicit drugs with its first seizure of online currency. Law enforcement interest in online purchase of drugs is significant and growing. Let the buyer beware. Read more.

In both young and old alike, rates of tobacco use among them continue to decline. Though many parents find it challenging to talk with their children about the use of alcohol, research finds that they are much more engaged in conversation and personal behavioral modeling about use of tobacco products. Parents do make a difference in the choice of their children to use alcohol and other drugs. Read more.

Asserting that synthetic drugs are "destructive, dangerous, and are destroying lives," the federal Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is joining with other international law enforcement agencies in targeting predatory synthetic drug traffickers, including some with suspected ties to terrorist groups. Read more.

As the use of so-called 'designer drugs' among teens and adults continues to grow, the UN, in its 2013 World Drug Reports, concludes that their popularity has created an alarming public health problem.U.S. hospitals report staggering rise in ER visits associated with emergency health problems, including death, from such drugs.Read more.

A recent study of one Pennsylvania county found that 37 percent of 8-year olds, increasing to 66 percent by age 12, had tasted alcohol. Early use of alcohol is linked to later abuse and/or alcohol-related problems. With the finger of blame pointed in the direction of parents, the study recommended that pediatricians discourage parents from allowing or enabling such practice.Read more.

Addiction to drugs (including alcohol) is the most common mental health problem among teens, reports the National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mental health disorders among children are defined as "serious deviations from expected cognitive, social, and emotional development."Read more.

Consistent with earlier studies (and debunking belief of some that parents have no influence upon the decision of their child to use alcohol or other drugs), a new study reports that 80 percent of teens point directly at their parents as the leading influence in their decision whether or not to use alcohol or other drugs. It's certain that active parents do make a difference. Read more.

Research shows that children start thinking about alcohol use between ages 9 to 13. Launching a new underage drinking prevention campaign ("Talk. They hear you.), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) urges parents to start talk with their children (as early as age 9) about the many health and behavioral dangers associated with youth alcohol use. Read more.

A university survey of 10- to 18-year olds reports that a significant percentage (35 percent) believe that stimulant abuse is a serious problem among their peers. Ironically, other surveys finds that parents, though having little problem talking with their children about tobacco usage, have a difficult time talking with them about alcohol and prescriptive drugs. Parents are the 'anti-drug' for their children. Keenly aware of the harm from tobacco products, we can no longer ignore what alcohol and other drugs are doing to our children. Read more.

Many drugs sold in the illicit drug market are not what they claim to be, and users, simply said, have no idea what they are ingesting. Some have paid the ultimate price for their decision to use drugs recreationally. Read more.

As researchers continue to express growing public health and safety concerns over the troublesome rise in female alcohol abuse, particularly with wine as their beverage of choice, more women are drinking now than at any time in recent history. Children are watching, and young girls, ages 12 to 17, now outdrink boys of a similar age. Read more.

Acknowledging a long-term struggle with a variety of drugs (including alcohol, marijuana and OxyContin), Patrick Kennedy is now leading an effort fighting against legalization of marijuana. He said, "..., I don't imagine anyone else could be silent if they knew the facts as I know the facts. With his early views "uneducated," he now states that they have been "corrected by the science." Read more.

Despite the serious and dangerous public health epidemic involving prescriptive drug abuse among youths, many teens believe their parents aren't as concerned about dangers from precriptive drug use as they are from illicit drugs. Read more.

A study of 8th and 9th graders appearing in the Journal of Adolescent Health reports that the vast majority of adolescents have "unsupervised access" to prescriptive drugs in the family home or the home of others. The report concludes the "critical" importance of parents properly storing and disposing of medications which may be subject to abuse. Read more.

Though long asserted by medical health and research experts, a recent study concludes that the earlier the age a person takes their first drink of alcohol, the more likely they will develop alcohol problems later in life. Read more.

Many experts assert that underage drinking is an "adult" problem. Some parents provide alcohol to their children or allow them to drink at home. Though done under the misguided belief they are teaching their children to drink "responsibly," they actually have increased the likelihood their child will become an excessive drinker. Read more.

To prevent or reduce the likelihood of childhood use of alcohol or other drugs, Dr. John Sharp, a distinguished faculty member at both the Harvard Medical School and UCLA Geffen School of Medicine, asserts that the role of the parent is "critical." He adds, "You can influence the behavior of your loved one." Parents talking with their children about drug use "early and often" is the key. Read more.

Reflecting the troubling rise in abusive drinking among females, a new reports that female collegians are more likely to binge drink than their male counterparts. Concerns about long-term female alcohol-related health problems continue to rise. Read more.

Adult mythical beliefs about teen drinking are a contributing factor to the serious public health crisis of teen drinking. These myths often become obstacles to preventing teen alcohol-related harms and abuse. Read more.

With many youths turning to abuse of prescriptive drugs to get high, a newly released study reports that teens with a stong relationship with parents, along with a positive relationship with schools and teachers, are at reduced risk of abuse. Read more.

In what can only be described as good news for the alcohol industry and bad news for children, a new study reports that nearly 25 percent of parents believe they have no influence over the decision of their teen to use alcohol or other drugs. Many report not even talking to their children about use. Earlier studies reported that parents are the most influential person in a teens decision to drink. Read more.

Identifed by some researchers as one of the nation's most profound societal changes, rise in heavy or abusive drinking among females continues to cause alarm and public health concerns. Starting early, 12- to 17-year old girls now reportedly drink more than similar age boys. Read more.

The growing national concern over the danger prescriptive drugs pose to youths has grown with reports of the of alarming rise in poisoning of children associated with accidental use of adult medications. Read more.

Peer pressure can influence people of all ages, but it's particularly influential on teens. Learn more about the influence of peer pressure, both positive and negative, and its influence upon teen use of alcohol and other drugs. Read more.

With recent marijuana legalization success in several states, investors are exploring the marketplace, with significant increase in use projected. Researchers concerned about growing teen use, along with short- and long-term health consequences. Read more.

CDC reports that drug-related fatalities increased by 3 percent. While most of the increased deaths are related to painkillers, the latest fad drug of youths, researchers concerned about the growing teen abuse of illicit and prescriptive drugs. Read more.

Medical science confirms the real public health danger of underage drinking. But underage drinkers cause harm to others in their community because of their drinking. Adults should stop defending or enabling teen drinking. Read more.

When it comes to effectiveness in reducing dangerous high-risk drinking, the common sense method is one of the most effective. Parents are the anti-drug for their children, but those conversations must begin before their child reaches the college campus. Believe it or not, children do listen to what their parents say about this issue. Read more.

With alcohol use the 3rd-leading preventable cause of death in the U.S., nearly 20,000 people die annually from alcohol-related cancer. There is no safe threshhold for alcohol and cancer risk. Read more.

With ease of access and false belief about product safety, high school teens, looking for another way to get "high," have embraced "Spice" and other synthetic drugs. Public health reports reveal real product dangers. Read more.

Though illicit, synthetic marijuana, or "Spice" is the 2nd most abused drug among high school seniors. Though labeled "not for human consumption," they are marketed and sold only for that purpose to their youth target. Unregulated for quality control, extreme health emergencies are commonly reported. Read more.

"Drunkorexia," a term used to describe females who reduce caloric intake from food to accommodate alcohol intake, are a particular target of the alcohol industry with their weight-conscious marketing directed at them. Placing profit before public health, food avoidance to accommodate acohol intake, makes young females particularly vulnerable to a variety of harms. Read more.

Businesses looking to strike it rich on marijuana legalization wave
Like tobacco and alcohol, and placing profit before public health, many new and emerging businesses see the recent wave of state marijuana legalizations as a financial opportunity. Health experts assert that all of these products are addictive, and come with significant short- and long-term health risks and costs. Read more.

1 in 5 teen girls regularly binge drinks
In the aftermath of the Stubenville, Ohio teen drinking party rape of an extremely intoxicated 16-year old girl, columnist says that teen binge drinking is a toxic ingredient of this youth tragedy that adults can no longer continue to ignore. Read more.

Today's marijuana "no longer doable"
With some contending marijuana sold today is "off the scale" for public use, alarm among health experts is rising. Even some former users claim todays product is "no longer doable." Medical and healthcare professionals continue to sound the alarm as states consider legalization, fearing, like alcohol, the easy access for children. Read more.

Study: Risk of harm from alcohol use outweighs contention of potential benefit
Some assert that limited health benefits exist from the moderate use of alcohol, though that research also finds any such benefit is lost by more that moderage use (1 drink for an of-legal-drinking age adult female or 2 drinks for an of-legal-drinking age adult male). A new study concludes, even with moderage use, the evidence of alcohol-related harmful effects from use outweigh any supposed beneficial effect. Read more.

Television ads may be driving teens to drink, study says
Exposure to television alcohol ads may influence teens to drink, says a Claremont Graduate University study. Showing that advertising has a significant correlation to teen alcohol use, this is particularly true among young girls. Earlier studies reported that the alcohol industry heavily targets young girls, and recent research finds a dramatic rise in abusive drinking among them. Read more.

Alcohol and other drug use impact health and future of collegians
Excessive drinking among collegians is often reported, but other research reports that collegiate drinking and other drug use has an impact upon individual mental health, academic performance and future employment. 25% of drinking collegians report a negative academic consequence associated with their drinking. Read more.

Children and prescriptive drug abuse
Daily 2000 children use prescriptive drugs for the first time for non-medical purposes (in other words, to get high), and, like alcohol, two-thirds of them obtain the drugs from family members and friends. If not secured, the family medicine cabinet is as easy target. Read more.

Study: Abuse of prescriptive drugs most prevalent among the most privileged during adolescenceCausing some to re-assess the consequences of privilege among "cornicopia kids," new research reports that the abuse of prescriptive drugs is most prevalent among those most privileged at an early age. "Indulged, coddled, pressured and micromanaged..," said a psychologist. Research has long shown that extreme alcohol abuse among 18- to 24-year olds is most common among collegians (the most privileged), while abuse among non-students is declining. Fascinating piece. Read more.

12th grader use of marijuana and cigarettes
National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that 12th grader percentage use of marijuana the highest in 10 years, while use of cigarettes the lowest. Researchers concerned that several recent state legalization successes will lead to dramatic increase in marijuana use among teens because of easier access and seeming adult approval. Read more.

Nearly 1 in 13 in U.S. has drinking problem
A Harvard University study reports that nearly 1 in 13 people over the age of 12 in the U.S. has a drinking problem. Other recent studies report the enormous global impact of the health harms (3rd leading cause of disease and injury) from alcohol use. Behavoral harm costs likewise enormous. Read more.

Alcohol use affects virtually every body part
While some extol the heart health benefits of alcohol, those benefits are lost when consumption involves more than a minimal amount of alcohol. 90 percent of alcohol consumed by teens occurs while binge drinking. Alcohol affects virtually every body part, and this impact is particularly problematic for still-developing teen drinkers. For teens, there is no such thing as a safe drink. Read more.

Alcohol is the third-leading cause of global death and injury
Though the majority of adults do not drink alcohol, new study concludes that alcohol is the third-leading cause of global injury and death. Alcohol kills more teens than all other drugs combined, and on-going medical research continues to document more health harms associated with the use of this addictive and carcinogenic drug. Read more.

FTC requires "alcohol facts panel" for alcohol energy drink deceptive marketer
Teen favorite Four Loko will be required to place an "alcohol facts panel" on each container to alert consumers of the amount of alcohol contained in each single-serving container (earlier considered up to 5 drinks of alcohol per container). Racked by allegations of deceptive marketing from governmental officials, health experts and prevention advocates, product maker, Phusion Projects, relented to government pressure. Many advocates consider the "panel" a weak response, arguing instead that the product should have been banned. Read More.

Alcohol industry blames parents, not its ads, for underage drinking
Continuing its long stream of denial, the alcohol industry denies its ads (research to the contrary notwithstanding) influence teens to drink. Instead, the industry continues to point the finger of blame directly at parents. Regardless, with teens accounting for 20 percent of alcohol sales, the industry profits handsomely. There's plenty of blame to go around for causing the serious public health threat of underage drinking. Read more.

Study: Alcohol responsible for 4 percent of U.S. cancer deaths
Though the medical community often fails to emphasize the health risks associated with alcohol use, a new study reports that alcohol is responsible for 4 percent of the cancer deaths annually in the U.S. Though many more people die in the U.S. from all alcohol-related causes, it's estimated that 20,000 die annually from cancer related to alcohol use. Read more.

Alcohol industry advertising targets teens
With earlier studies reporting the conclusion that the alcohol industry targets teens with its messaging, new research reports the success of their efforts. Anheuser-Busch the big winner (and big part of the problem) in teen drinking. Read more.

Four ways parents can prevent underage drinking
With the recent study reporting that alcohol ads influence children as early as the 7th grade to start drinking alcohol, parents become all the more crtical in the public health battle to protect children from the many harms associated with early age alcohol use. Parents are the anti-drug for preventing underage drinking. Read more.

Exposure to alcohol ads influences children to drink
Alcohol advertising does not just impact adults. Beginning as early as the 7th grade, a new study reports that TV alcohol advertising may promote the onset of early youthful drinking. Earlier studies found that alcohol advertising does positively influence children to drink. The more the exposure, the more they drink, said the study. Other studies have reported that the alcohol industry specifically targets teens with their product advertising. Read more.

Teens find many new and more dangerous ways to get high
While teens are considered to be risk takers, many with little knowledge or understanding of the risks involved, some are finding more extreme methods to bring about rapid intoxication. Medical experts warn of the potential harmful, even deadly consequences that may follow. Most adults have no awareness that teens, perhaps their own, are ingesting alcohol in this manner. Read more.

Stop the complacency about alcohol and addiction
"How can something that ruins lives be the subject of such rich humor," asks commentator Chris Matthews. Alcoholism is a disease, and the majority of the nation's alcoholics are young people, pre-teen to age 26. Matthews adds, "Alcohol .. can destroy not just ambition, but lives and families." We can no longer ignore what alcohol is doing to our children. Read more.

Drug Czar: Legalizing marijuana sends "wrong message" to young people
Gil Kerlikowske, director of the U.S. Office of Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), said that legalizing marijuana sends a the "wrong message" to young people about drug use. Research reports that 25 percent of high schoolers admit use of marijuana, and prevention experts express concern that this number will grow dramatically with on-going legalization efforts in other states. Read more.

"Bath Salts:" Like playing Russian roulette with the brain, experts say
So-called "bath salts," among the new generation of synthetic drugs heavily marketed to teens and young adults, are very dangerous and present a genuine public health hazard. Experts say use of such drugs is similar to playing Russian roulette with your brain. Though most adults know little about such drugs, research finds that teens are well-aware of them. Read more.

Why the explosion in drinking among teen age girls?
Recent reports of the alarming rise in dangerous high-risk drinking among teen girls has health officials concerned, both about short- and long-term consequences. Some contend that teen girls are merely mimicking the drinking behaviors of their mother or other adult women around them. Read more.

After a few drinks, parenting style kicks in, teens say
Research finds that parenting style strongly and directly affects teens when it comes to heavy drinking. Parents have significant influence on the decision of their child to engage in the most dangerous forms of drinking. Earlier studies found that "tolerant" or complacent parental attitudes about teen drinking increased the likelihood their child would become an excessive drinker. Read more.

CDC reports serious binge drinking problem among women and high school girls
Health experts have long been concerned about the dramatic rise in excessive drinking among young girls, some regarding this as a profound cultural change with serious long-term public health implications. Research finds that females metabolize alcohol out of their system more slowly than males; become intoxicated more rapidly; and become addicted to alcohol quicker. 1 in 5 high school girls report binge drinking, while 1 in 8 adult women report binge drinking. Binge drinking increases a womans risk of breast cancer, heart disease, sexually transmitted diseases, unintended pregnancy, sexual assault and violence, and many other health problems. Read more.

Children as young as 9 may try alcohol
Weblineplus, a service of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), reports that children as young as 9 may be curious about drinking alcohol, and they may even try it. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) research finds that 10 percent of 9 and 10-year olds have begun drinking. NIH further reports that most children who avoid alcohol do so because of clear parental guidance and known parental opposition to child drinking. Read more.

Study finds role of parents' in drinking among 3rd graders
A National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of third graders finds that nearly one-third (32.8 percent) has sipped alcohol, a high risk marker for the initiation of early underage drinking. The third graders were twice as likely to have done so where parents involved them in alcohol use (fetching or pouring drinks for adults), parents did not have a rule against child drinking, or if children perceived a tolerant parental attitude toward child drinking. Read more.

Marijana use among teens on the rise
25 percent (1 in 4) of high schoolers report use of marijuana, and nearly 7 percent of seniors report daily use. This says the latest Monitoring the Future Report. Reportedly marijuana use among high school age teens is on the rise, with 36 percent reporting use within the last year. Duke University research reports that marijuana use among teens may cause lasting IQ loss, not reversible by later discontinuation of this practice. Some researchers fear that recent state legalization of marijuana use in Colorado and Washington will lead to a continuing rise in use among young teens. Read more.

Busting "myths" about alcohol and teen use
An addictive drug; the teen drug of choice; 3rd-leading preventable cause of death in the U.S.; and 2nd-leading preventab;e caise of cancer. This "must read" article debunks some of the myths surrounding alochol use by both adults and teens. Read More.

Young adults have highest rate of addictiion of any age grouop
Once thinking of the typical addict in recovery for alcohol or other drug addiction as an older adult, today's reality is we now know that addiction strikes much earlier. With a reported drastic increase in the number of young people struggling with addiction, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that young adults ages 18 to 25 have the highest rate of addiction of any age group. Read more.

Females at particular risk of alcohol-related blackout
Another study reports that alcohol-related blackouts are surprisingly common among collegians, though once thought to be a sign of advanced alcoholism seen typically in middle-age alcoholics. Because of human design, females are at greater risk than males to blackout and its related health, behavioral and risk consequences. Read more.

Increasing alcohol taxes a proven method of reducing underage drinking
Increasing taxes on alcohol is an effective environmental strategy to reduce youthful drinking. While such taxes tend not to negatively impact responsible, of-legal-drinking age adults, increasing such taxes has proven an effective strategy to reduce consumption among price sensitive underage drinkers and alcohol-abusive adults. In addition, such taxes help reduce the health and behavioral cost of harm associated with excessive drinkers. Read more.

Europeans are the world's heaviest drinkers
Debunking myths about "responsible" European drinking, the World Health Organization reports that, instead, Europeans are the world's heaviest drinkers. Earlier studies report that Europeam teen drink more heavily that U.S. teens. Read more.

Teens, young adults driving dramatic increase in prescriptive drug abuse
Asserting that "prescriptive drug use is the next big epidemic," research finds that teens and young adults are largely driving this high-risk and dangerous abuse of such drugs. This includes intentionally mising the abuse of prescriptive medications with alcohol. Like alcohol, easy access continues to be a great concern among prevention experts. Read more.

Teens purchase alcohol on ebay
Joining numerous other internet alcohol purchase opportunities, teens have been able to purchase alcohol on ebay. To shield their alcohol sales, vendors sold the alcohol as a "collectible." ebay has taken action to prevent future sales, but it demonstrates yet another means of easy alcohol access by teens. Read more.

Study: Some later teen alcohol use associated with mothers allowing children to sip alcohol
Consistent with earlier studies, a new study reports that later teen alcohol use may be associated with mother's earlier permission to sip alcohol. Other studies report that while such adults intent is to teach responsible drinking, their parental permission to drink actually increases the likelihood their child will suffer with later alchol abuse issues. Other studies report that such children tend to drink far more excessively than their peers without parental permission to drink alcohol. Read more.

Parents are the "anti-drug" to teen peer pressure
Teens are under enormous peer pressure to use alcohol and/or other drugs. Alcohol is the teen drug-of-choice. But research finds that substance use is lowest among teens whose parents are knowledgeable and consistent, and whose friends parents are knowledgeable and consistent. You do make a difference. Read more.

Alcohol advertising standards violations most common in magazines with youthful audiences
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
New study once again finds that the unregulated alcohol industry continues violation of its own "voluntary" advertizing standards. This study concludes the industry violates its own standards by targeting a primarily underage market demographic with their advertising. Earlier studies find that the industry actually targets teens with their advertising, while others conclude that alcohol advertising influences teens (their intended purpose) to make bad decisions about alcohol use. Read more.

Are we addicted to being an enabler?
Adults, particularly family members, play a critical role in underage drinking. The choices many make either have the positive effect of preventing it or the negative effect of enabling or supporting it. How many times have you heard an enabling adult claim that "all teens drink," "there's nothing wrong with kids having a few drinks," or that teen drinking is a "rite of passage?" Read more.

American teens drink dramatically less alcohol than European teens
For those who believe that the U.S. should adopt European standards for teen drinkers, research consistently finds that U.S. teens drink dramatically less alcohol than European teens. The problem has become so severe in Europe that many health experts there urge increasing the minimum legal drinking age to 21. However, American teens use more illicit drugs than European teens. Read more.

A Message for Parents with College-Bound Teens
Excessive collegiate drinking has been an unresolved 'time-bomb' on many of the nation's campuses. Research finds drinking freshmen now spend more time each week drinking than studying. With collegiate alcohol-related death and poisonings at record levels, parents must be more diligent in preparing their child for the unneccessary threats to collegiate success. Real life is not about drinking alcohol, nor should their college life be defined by excessive use of this addictive drug. Read more.

Letter to the Editor: Parents, Don't Provide Your Teen with Alcohol
Though unlawful to do so in North Carolina and most other States, some parents continue to provide alcohol to their children. While many believe they are teaching responsible drinking, research confirms the effect to be the opposite - they actually increase the likelihood their child will become an excessive drinker. Read more.

Massachusetts community targets parents who provide alcohol to teens
Citing as a "demonstrably false assumption" parental notions that 'kids are going to drink anyway and they're safer drinking here,' communities are taking aggessive criminal enforcement action against parents and other of-legal-drinking age adults who provide alcohol to teens. Alcohol, an addictive drug, kills more teens than all other drugs combined. State Bar Association president says "These kids rapidly consume huge quantities of alcohol at these parties because their goal is to get hammered. Read more.

"With Drinking, Parent's Rules Do Affect Teens' Choices"
by MICHELLE TRUDEAU, NPR NEWS
May 31, 2010 3:00 pm
As teenagers mature into their senior year of high school, many parents begin to feel more comfortable about letting them drink alcohol. But new research from brain scientists and parenting experts suggests loosening the reins on drinking may not be a good idea in the long run. Read full article...

"BYU Study Finds Indulgent Parents May Aid Binge Drinking"
By SARA ISRAELSEN-HARTLEY, DESERT NEWS
June 24, 2010
You can't just love your kids away from alcohol. In fact, teens who viewed their parents as warm and affectionate, but lax in their monitoring, were three times more likely to engage in heavy drinking than their loved and supervised peers, according to a new BYU study. Read full article...

Mission

The Coalition is an alliance of organizations, individuals and other stakeholders who work collaboratively to prevent underage drinking and teen drug use by advancing education, strategic enforcement and effective policies and initiatives.

Did You Know?

Alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among U.S. youth. The teen "drug of choice," it kills more teens than all other drugs combined. (Centers for Disease Control)